Tribune Publishing’s New York Daily News is claiming improved ink yield following a change to new screening technology.

Established in 1919, the paper is one of America’s largest-circulation newspapers.

Changes including the adoption of Agfa’s Spir@l screening followed a pitch by the plate supplier to manufacturing director John Frahm involving press calibration to resolve print inconsistencies.

“I knew we needed to optimise the entire process, from photo editing to output on press,” he said. “My goal was to maximise what our presses are capable of achieving, with higher contrast and colour consistency.”

A process with Agfa included adoption of N95-VCF violet chemistry-free plates, which resulted in an immediate reduction in dampening requirement of 15-20 per cent. “With that, I knew everything would improve,” he said.

“Now we’re getting consistent press performance with a better ink-water balance, sharper dot, higher trapping percentages and less waste.”

The negative-working plate is good for print runs up to 300,000, saving water and eliminateing developer and replenisher with a pH-neutral clean-out solution.

Spir@l -­ based on fundaments of Agfa’s Sublima screening – was implemented to maximise results, which achieved higher contrast and a wide color gamut. The maker says the screening system controls ink application, allowing for printing with a thinner ink layer, as the traditional dot is replaced with a “more economical” spiral shape which requires less ink to fill the same space.

After six months, ink yield at the NY Daily News had improved by 8.56 per cent.

Frahm says print customers are among those expressing their delight with the improved quality, which the publisher of one of their largest weekly newspaper customers says has “never been better”.